Electric shaver with vacuum collector



Aug. 30, 1960 D. L. FOX

ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH VACUUM COLLECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2,1957 INVENTOR.

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Aug. 30, 1960 x ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH VACUUM COLLECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 2, 1957 lhh.

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W ATTM Aug- 30, 19 0 D. L. M 2,950,530

ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH VACUUM COLLECTOR Filed Dec. 2, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTOR.

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AJTORAIEX urncrruc snavan wrrn vacutJM CULLECTUR Donald L. Fox, Eethelhark, Pa. (7 hapel Lane, Riverside, Conn.)

Filed Dec. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 700,115

4 Claims. ((11. 30-415) This invention relates to an electric shaverand, more particularly, to improvements in an electric shaver of thereciprocating cutter bar type.

An outstanding and well known disadvantage of conventional type electricshavers is that they do not provide a very close shave, such as thatobtained by a straight razor or a safety razor. This is due, at least inpart, to the cutter bar and shaving head construction, which does notpermit a shearing action very close to the surface of the skin sufiiiently near the root of the hairs.

A still further disadvantage of electric shavers of well knownconstruction is that the cut hairs tend to accumulate in the cutter barsand soon interfere with their cutting action and efficiency by providingresistance to the cutting action of the cutter bars.

A still further disadvantage of common types of electric shavers is thatthey are complicated in construction, difficult to take apart, and donot provide access for easy servicing or replacement of the variousparts.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel electric shaver which isdevoid of the above-named disadvantages of the conventional typeelectric razors.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide an electric shaverwith a rotating head which allows rolling action rather than frictionalor rubbing action against the skin, therefore provides a verycomfortable type of shave.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an electric shaverhaving novel reciprocating cutter heads which coact with the rotatinghead in a manner so as to provide a very smooth shave, cutting hair veryclose to the surface of the skin.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electric shaver with avacuum cleaning attachment which will effect constant withdrawal of hairfrom the vicinity of the cutter bars and therefore prevent interferenceof the cutter bar action by the cut hairs.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an electric razorhaving relatively simple and inexpensive parts which are easilyaccessible and removable for replacement and repair and which arerelatively easy to assemble or disassemble.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following description taken with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, perspective View, with parts shown cutaway, ofan electric shaver embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rotating shaving head shown in Pig.1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cutter bars of Fig. 1, shown spreadapart to more clearly illustrate the sawtooth construction on oppositesides of each cutter bar, as well as the gears on their confrontingfaces, forming racks.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trough or support element for thecutter bars shown in Fig. 3, but showing atent O "ice the cutter barsremoved to more clearly illustrate the construction of the trough.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the hinged cover of the electricrazor in the open position and showing the housing of the vacuumcreating means partly cut-away to illustrate the blower constructioninside thereof.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the electric razor with one of the side coversremoved to more clearly illustrate how reciprocating action of thecutter bars is obtained from the motor drive.

Fig. 7 is a side view showing the opposite side of that illustrated inFig. 6 with the other side cover removed, and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the electric razorwith certain parts shown cut-away to more clearly show the internalconstruction of the razor.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawing,numeral 1 denotes a casing or housing of an electric shaver, whichcasing is made of plastic or other suitable material. Casing l isprovided with removable side covers 1a and 1]), respectively, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 5, which may be readily and easily removed simplyby unscrewing screws, such as if.

Within the bottom portion of the casing 1 there is mounted an electricmotor 2 of any well known construction whose rotor has rigidly securedthereto a knurled starting wheel 3 which projects from the armature,centrally of the base portion of the casing 1, so that the operator mayquickly spin the rotor by the use of his thumb to efiect starting of themotor, in a well known manner.

On one end of the motor shaft is rigidly mounted an eccentric wheel 4provided with an eccentric weight 5. Rotation of wheel 4 will effectreciprocating movement of a crank arm or link '7 by virtue of theeccentric mounting of the connecting pin 6 emerging from the wheel. Theother end of the connecting arm 7 is connected, by an eccentricallymounted pin, to a gear 8 so as to eifect short oscillations of the gear8. Gear 8 meshes with the teeth 9a of an oscillating lever 9. Teeth 9bare provided which mesh with a rack 31, thereby causing reciprocatingmovements of rack 1:. in a direction at right angles with thelongitudinal axis or" lever iii. A drive pinion 12 engages the oppositeteeth of the rack 11, whereby it will oscillate through a small radialangle. By virtue of the geared relationship between drive pinion 12 andteeth 13a on the confronting faces of cutter bars 13 and 14-, thesecutter bars will be given short reciprocating strokes in oppositedirections.

Each of the cutter bars 13 and 14 has saw-toothed cutting edges 13b and1412, respectively, on both sides thereof so that the two cutter bars 13and 14 will provide four saw-tooth, side, cutting edges. The outersurfaces of the cutter bars 13 and 14 are machined to provide quarterround surfaces which provide a bearing surface for the rotating shavinghead 22 journaled thereon, to be described more fully hereinafter.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 1 taken with Fig. 4, the cutter bars 13and 14 are slidably mounted on and supported by trough 16 on its mouthportion 360 so that the cut hairs will fall into the trough. Cutter bars13 and 14 are adapted to slide in grooves 164; and 165, on one end ofthe trough and in similar grooves on the other end.

A frame-like pedestal 18 is slidably mounted within and guided by tracks10, which tracks are integrally formed on one side of the casing l andpreferably also of plastic material. Rigidly mounted on the pedestal 18is a ball hearing or roller bearing supporting rim 1%? which provides ananti-friction mounting for rim 22a of the rotatable, hollow, cylindricalhead 22. Head 22 has arcuate slots 22c supported between portions 22d ofa very close shave.

the head, and in side-by-side, staggered relationship.

Likewise on the opposite side of the razor there are provided integraltrack elements 1d (Fig. 7) for guiding sliding movements of asimilar-frame like pedestal 20, which pedestal has rigidly secured tothe endthre tab 18 and 19 and which has a central cylindrical stub 38which acts'as a holder for oneend of spring 39. The other end of thespring is seated in a well formed in the stationary partition 36 (Fig.8). Since the trough 16 is rigidly mounted on the stationary partition36 by means of screws 36a and since pedestals 18 and 20, together withthe rotatable head 22, are pushed by spring 39 in a direction away fromthe head, the spring will firmly hold the head 22 against the bearingsurfaces on cutter bars 13 and 14.

r 2,950,530 7 a e.

efiiciency and greatly improve shaving; furthermore I have provided arotatinghead having grooves staggered spirally so that there will alwaysbe grooves through which hairs may extend into the cutter bars.

While I have illustrated and described a single specific embodiment ofmy invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustrationonly, and that various changes and modifications may be made within thecontemplation of my invention and within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. An electric shaver comprising a trough, said trough having a mouthportion, a pair of reciprocable cutter bars mounted on said mouthportion of said trough so as to collect hair clippings made by saidcutter bars, a cylindrical, perforated shaving head surrounding saidtrough and cutter bars and mounted so as to freely rotate as the resultof frictional,engagementwith the face of .the per- Thus there is notonly a free rolling movement 'of V I the shaving head 22 on the face ofthe user so as to provide a comfortable and easy feel, but there is.also a constant, firm holding of the shaving'head against the bearingsurfaces provided by the cutter bars which im proves the shearing actionof the cutter bars and provides a The motor also, drives a vacuumcleaning arrangement for continually withdrawing hairs from the shavinghead. This comprises a drive including a pulley 23 connected to themotor shaft which drives belt 24 which, in turn drives a pulley 25 on ashaft'26'which rotates a blower having blades 27 enclosed by housing 28.The blower sucks air through hole 28a of an enclosed chamber and througha perforated partition 29, which air is drawn through the wallsof afilter bag 30 having a rigid mouth portion 31 which provides anair-tight, slip fit into a grooved portion of the housing A semicircularcollar 36b provides a support for the inner edge of mouth portion 31.This provides for easy removal of the filter bag for emptying of itsc'ontents'and provides a dust-tight'detachable connection between collar36b and adjoining surface of element 16. w

The interior of filter bag 30 communicates with hole 32 and grooves orchannels 33' and 34 (Fig. 8), thence son shaving, a motor and driveconnection for reciprocating said cutter bars, said shaver including aninterior chamber, a blower and a removable filterbag contained in saidchamber, the mouth ofsaid filter bagbeing in communication with one endof said trough, said blower and filter bag being in closely'spacedrelationship and disposed so that the blower will suck air from thefilter bag and allow' hair clippings to be drawn from said trough tosaid bag for collection in the latter. 7

2. An electric shaver comprising a body portion, a pair of framesslidably mounted'along opposite sides of said body portion, ananti-friction. bearing supported at the end of each of said frames, ahollow cylindrical shaving head rotatably mounted on said bearings,cutter bar means reciprocated by an electric motor mounted in said bodyportion, said cutter bar means surrounded by said head, spring means forbiasing said pedestals in a direction so as to'fiirnly hold said headagainst said cutter bar means and thereby provide a close shave.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 whereinsaid cutter 2 bar meanscomprise a pair of oppositely reciprocable with the trough portion ofelement 16 into which the V V hairs drop and are collected; after theyare sheared by cutter bars 13 and 14.

Thus, by virtue of the suction created by the blades of blower 27,air'is sucked into housing 28 and is exhausted'through the exhaustopening covered by a wire mesh screen 35. Blower 27 will suck the cuthairs from trough 16 into the filter bag so as'to keep the trough andcutter bars constantly clean of hairs. When the filter bag becomes full,the lid 1g (Fig. 5') is pivoted to the open position, as shown in Fig.5, and the filter bag is at all times into tight engagement withsupporting bear ings formed on the cutter bars so as to provide a very.closeshave; furthermore I have provided an electricshaver'incorporating ajvacuum'cleaning arrangement so .as to continuallywithdraw cut hair from the cutter bars and their supporting trough so asto improve the cutting bars, tooth cutting edges on each cutter bar, andtop portion on each bar which forms a bearing support for said rotatableshaving head.

4. An electric shaver comprising a casing having a pair of pedestalsslidably mounted on oppositesides of said casing, a ball bearing supporthub rigidly connected to each of said pedestals, a hollow, cylindricalshaving head rotatably mounted on said hubsso as .to freely rotateuponfrictional engagement with the face of the shaver, a pair of cutter.barslocated withinsaid head and having rounded faces serving as bearingsurfaces for said head and having saw toothed cutting edges on oppositesides of each bar, an electric motor for effecting reciprocating motion,in opposite directions, of said cut- .ter bars, said head havingarcuate. slots disposed substantially along circular paths *inside-to-side relationship and having an axis common with that of the.head.

References Cited at the m et thisipatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,802,2607 Allen Aug.;l3 ,1957

